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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24790888">The Dance of the Fairies</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltylikecrait/pseuds/saltylikecrait'>saltylikecrait</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Legend of Zelda &amp; Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Childhood Friends, F/M, Fairies, Friendship, Gen, Growing Up</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:21:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>917</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24790888</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/saltylikecrait/pseuds/saltylikecrait</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Every year, the fairies of the forest gather together for a dance. This year, Zelda also happens to be visiting at the same time.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Link &amp; Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Dance of the Fairies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Time for some writing practice!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You can stop here.”</p><p>Her guards halted their horses, expressions puzzled by the orders they were just given. “Your highness,” one begins. “We’ve been given strict orders by your father to—”</p><p>“And I won’t tell him if you follow mine.”</p><p>The group seemed at odds with one another, as their silence detailed. The guards knew how stubborn their princess could be.</p><p>Her eyes darted back and forth as she looked at the four men. Then she sighed. “Look, I’m not going far into the forest,” she promised. “Just to the village to visit my friend. You know him. Link? It’s probably the safest place I could be.”</p><p>The only guard who had accompanied her before broke into a grin, though his companions, all new to this task, didn’t share his humor. “So, what you’re saying is, let you go now and we won’t have to fret over you when you sneak away later?”</p><p>“Exactly.” The princess mirrored his grin.</p><p>The other guards groaned but waited for the other one to make judgement. He thought through his options, but knew there was only one in the end that wouldn’t end up being a headache.</p><p>“Will you promise to be back by sundown?” he asked.</p><p>The princess beamed.</p>
<hr/><p>Kokiri Forest hadn’t changed since the last time she had visited. That might have been a problem to some, but Princess Zelda found the steadiness of the village charming and comforting. </p><p>She had grown since the last time she’d been here. At eight, she was about the same size as the village’s inhabitants and found that wonderful. No adults lived here, and the Kokiri treated Zelda just like they did each other. Now at twelve, she already towered over them. She didn’t visit much, but each time she did, she could sense the wariness of the Kokiri grow.</p><p>Still, they remained on friendly terms with her. As she entered the forest, the ones who were out and about smiled and waved, though they glanced at her with curiosity.</p><p>After arriving in the center of the village, she veered right and headed towards a treehouse. “Link?” she called up, wondering if he was there. </p><p>She received no answer and decided to check out around the village. </p><p>Quickly, she found him helping one of the children move stones. Too heavy for them, Link was now taller and stronger than the rest of the Kokiri.</p><p>When he spotted her, he broke into an enormous, goofy grin and waved at her. Excusing himself, he ran over to her.</p><p>“Zelda! I didn’t know you were visiting!”</p><p>She smiled and took his hand when he reached her. “I realized it’s been a while since I saw you. I wanted to check on you.”</p><p>“You came at a good time,” he told her. “The Dance of the Fairies is today.”</p><p>Puzzled, she stared at him. “Never heard of it.”</p><p>“It’s like… once a year, all these fairies get together to pair up and dance together,” he explained like it was the easiest thing to understand.</p><p>Zelda didn’t want to say anything, in case she was wrong, but it sounded like a fairy mating ritual to her. She wondered if in a few weeks or months after the dance, if new fairies popped up… wherever it was fairies came from.</p><p>But that brought up another question, though she was hesitant to ask.</p><p>“Did you ever find Navi?”</p><p>His silence answered for him.</p><p>Changing the subject, she decided to humor him. “All right, let’s see this dance, then.”</p>
<hr/><p>Link was right: the fairy dance was a magnificent time to show up. Pink and white-blue lights gathered by the thousands, blending together in the glade of the once proud Great Deku Tree. As if he knew what was coming, Link predicted that a new sprout would show up in a few years, the next in line of trees that watched over the forest.</p><p>But now, they focused on the fairies, their light, and their dance.</p><p>They sat together along the edge of the glade, up against the trees that formed a perimeter around the clearing. The lights were mesmerizing as they stared at them quietly.</p><p>“I think I’ll have to leave the forest soon,” Link whispered, his eyes set to the ground.</p><p>Zelda felt her own widen. “Are the Kokiri forcing you to leave?”</p><p>“No but… Well, I’m growing up and they’re getting uncomfortable. I’m barely fitting in my treehouse as it is.”</p><p>He looked lost when he discussed this. Overwhelmed. Link was a hero, but also still a boy and Zelda understood what he felt. Not only was she growing quickly, her body changing in strange ways, she was learning more about ruling, her history and diplomacy lessons beginning to take a turn to seriousness. One day, she would be queen and her peaceful childhood would be left behind.</p><p>“Is there someplace you have in mind to go when you leave?” she asked.</p><p>Link shook his head. “I don’t know where to go.”</p><p>“You could always come to Castletown and join the guard,” she suggested. “You’d outmatch the new recruits from the start, but it would give you a chance to move up rank quickly. And they’d give you a place to stay and decent pay.” Then she lowered her voice. “And we can see each other more.”</p><p>Looking down at the ground, Link looked like he was trying to hide that he was crying, but Zelda knew, and she also knew not to bring them up.</p><p>“That sounds nice.”</p>
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